Of Memorial Days and Thank You's
by SabbyStarlight
Summary: Jack is hurt on a mission gone wrong just before Memorial Day. Mac takes a minute to visit Jack's father and thank him for a few things.


Mac took a breath as he made his way through the maze of headstones, noting how many more people there were there visiting lost loved ones since the last time he was there. He'd been alone then too, on his way to find Jack. He saw his destination finally, tucked away in a quiet corner of the cemetery beneath the overhang of an old tree. The sunlight gleaming against the polished stone, reminding him that today was the unofficial start of summer.

Jack S. Dalton Sr.

AIC US Air Force

Mac hated cemeteries. He had hated them since he was that scrawny little five year old kid staring at his mother's casket hovering over the hole in the ground. But he wasn't here for him, he was here for Jack he reminded himself as he sat down in Jack's usual spot.

He sighed. "What the hell, Jack always says you can hear us." He said under his breath before beginning.

"Hi, Mr. Dalton. Sir." He frowned, hating how awkward he sounded, tripping over his own words. He chalked it up to exhaustion and continued. "I know you were probably expecting your son here, I'm sure you would much rather see him than me, but Jack's, umm, not able to be here right now."

Mac paused, images flashing through his mind of Jack lying in his hospital bed; wires and tubes attached, monitors keeping up a steady rhythm, body still and mouth silent. The result of a mission gone wrong.

"He's gonna be alright." Mac assured, the uncomfortableness of talking to Jack's dead father slowly fading. "It was pretty touch and go for a while. The doctors weren't sure if he was going to pull through but they don't know Jack like we do." Mac found himself smiling for the first time in days. "He always pulls through."

"Anyway." Mac pulled his mind out of his partner's hospital room. "I'm not planning on letting him join you anytime soon, no offense. We're not done with him on this side just yet. But I know he usually spends today with you, and I thought he would like it if I stopped in, said hello."

In their line of work, Mac and Jack didn't have a lot of guaranteed days off and Memorial Day was no exception. If Jack hadn't been hurt, they would e working right now. Mac remembered the first time they lucked into getting the holiday off and Bozer insisted on throwing a party on the deck to celebrate. It was the first time in all the years he had known Jack Dalton that he had seen the man turn down a chance to eat Bozer's barbeque. He opted instead, to spend the day with his father, showing up at Mac's place as the sun was setting and all the guests had left, quietly drinking an extra beer for each of his usual, one for him and one for his dad he said.

"I'm not going to stay." Mac continued. "We're hoping Jack'll wake up today and I want to be there when he does. And to be honest, Sir, I kinda hate these places. No disrespect to you." He quickly added. "I just wanted to stop in, let you know why Jack isn't here himself."

Mac stood up, stepping forward and placing a hand on the cool marble stone. "And to say thank you for your service." He pulled the small flag he had picked up on his way from his shirt pocket and stuck it in the ground in front of the tomb stone before he left.

A feeling of peace surrounded him and Mac found himself realizing, for the first time, why Jack found this place so comforting. He turned around suddenly, smiling at the way the wind had picked up and began waving the stars and stripes he had just planted. "And Sir? I don't think I've ever told you, but thank you for your son."

Hey guys! Sorry it's so short, but I had a little scene written out for a long time of Jack being hurt and Mac going to talk to his dad, I really liked the scene but it didn't really fit in any of the fics I'm working on. But then with it being Memorial Day I thought it would make a nice little short fic by itself. Just a little reworking and this was born! Let me know what you thought and a huge thank you to all who have served and paid the ultimate price for our freedom.


End file.
